SCALY-TAILED SQUIRRELS 



129 



there has been a marked decrease in the price of ivory of all descriptions, the four 

 kinds above mentioned standing at the close of 1910 respectively at £47, £62, £67, 

 and £102 per cwt. 



Scaiy-Taiie Leaving the hoofed mammals and turning to the rodents, the 



squirrels. fj rs t group for consideration is the small but remarkable family 

 commonly known as scaly-tailed squirrels, but better designated simply scaly-tails, 

 since they have nothing to do with the true squirrels. This family is restricted to 

 equatorial Africa, where it is most numerously represented on the west coast. All 

 these Anomaluridce are characterised by the presence of a number of scales on the 



under surface of the 

 tail, which aid in climb- 

 ing. The most general- 

 ised member of the 

 family is the flightless 

 scaly-tail (Zenkerella 

 insignis), of the west 

 coast, a small, grey, 

 squirrel - like animal 

 without a flying-mem- 

 brane. Such a mem- 

 brane, which differs 

 somewhat in structure 

 from that of the flying- 

 squirrels, is developed, 

 however, in the other 

 species, all but one of 

 which belong to the 

 typical genus. Of 

 these, the red scaly-tail (Anomal- 

 urus fulgens) of the Gabun, which 

 measures about 21 inches, in- 

 clusive of the tail, takes its name 

 from the bright orange colour of 

 the fur. 



The pigmy scaly -tail (A. 

 pusillus) of Equatoria is a much 

 and yellowish white beneath ; a 

 is a dark-coloured West African 



( 



FRASER S SCALY-TAIL. 



smaller species, dark grizzled grey above 

 third kind, Fraser's scaly-tail (A. fraseri), 

 species, ranging from the Gabun to the Congo, while a fourth is A. erythro- 

 notus of the Congo, distinguished by the black muzzle, a black ring round 

 each eye, and a large black spot behind each ear. The same features 

 characterise A. jacksoni of Uganda, in which, however, the general colour 

 is dusky grey; while A. cinereus of Nyasaland is also dusky grey, but with- 

 out the black markings, and with a white band between the ears (as in 

 A. fulgens). 



Most remarkable and conspicuous of all is the black-and-white scaly-tail 

 vol. in. — 9 



